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FRAGMENTS 



FRAGMENTS 

ESSAYS AND POEMS 



BY 



Fannie May Barbee HugKs 



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TiRISTOPjfEli 

PUBUSHING 
HOUSE 

BOSTON 



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Copyright igso 
By Thk Christophkr Pubi^ishing House 



©CI.A565880 



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DEDlCcATED 
To the c^oulders of Public Opinion 



CONTENTS. 

Influence of War on the Development of 

Poetry • 9 

Traces of Power of Music in Literature 17 
Crucis Figura— The Symbol of the Cross 22 
Cult of the Short Story: its Masters . . 29 

The Song of Hate • 48 

Christmas Customs • • . • • 51 

The Shofar • 56 

A Toast 60 

The Message 61 

From out the Gloom • 62 

An Easter Lily • • 63 

God sent you to me 64 

Evening Shadows 64 



INFLUENCE OF WAR ON THE 
DEVELOPMENT OF POETRY 

A popular and characteristic feature of 
every war is its literature — in poetry and 
song. Herder, the poet and theologian, 
teaches us that poetry is the expression of 
national life. If we follow the national history 
of the various countries we will find in each 
instance that a revolution called forth a 
grand outburst of patriotic song. "Rouget 
de Lisle/' inspired by the opening of 
the French revolution, gave voice to the 
spirit-stirring ''Marseillaise" hymn, which 
continues to stir the heart of France. 
Cromwell and his men went forth 
to battle singing hallelujahs! During the 
present conflict, England's soldiers march to 
the national hymn, ''God Save the King." 

In the Franco-Prussian war German sol- 
diers went into battle singing "The Night 
Watch on the Rhine," a National hymn 
which owes its existence to struggle between 
France and Germany, written by Schnecken- 
burger in 1840. The Scottish laddie goes 
forth to battle singing "Scots Wha Hae," to 



10 FRAGMENTS 

a traditional air, the same as sung by Bruce' s 
men at Bannockburn, while Ireland has the 
world-renowned melody and words, "Wear- 
ing of the Green." The struggle between 
Belgium and Holland gave to literature "La 
Brabauconne," by the strains of which all 
Belgium's patriotic spirit today is thrilled. 
What Southern heart has not been stirred by 
the singing of the "Bonnie Blue Flag," and 
gone wild at the strains of "Dixie!" Every 
American heart thrills at the strains of the 
"Star-Spangled Banner" — all sparks of flame 
from the fires of war. Among the noted 
poems of Russian literature, the most noted 
are the ballad's of Zhukooski, "The Poet in 
the Russian Camp," sung by the soldiers in 
the War of 1812, and in the present conflict 
her soldiers march to the dignified music and 
words, "God Save the Czar." 

In the nineteenth century of literature, 
we find the great humanitarian movement, 
which had given rise to the French Revolu- 
tion, manifesting itself in manifold ways. 
Poets and philosophers gave varied utter- 
ances to its spirit, delivering its message to 
the hearts of the populace. In the literary 
field the revolutionary spirit was overwhelm- 
ingly triumphant. When the British gov- 
ernment was lavishing wealth and bending 



FRAGMENTS 11 

its energies for the overthrow of Napoleon, 
the citizens of the northern capitol, Edin- 
burgh, were still discussing the principles of 
the French Revolution. From this intellec- 
tual ferment came the new impulse of litera- 
ture. With the new century came an out- 
burst of freedom in the form of lyrical bal- 
lads and lays. 

Byron in his "Ode to Napoleon," and 
"Night Before the Battle of Waterloo," Ma- 
caulay's "Song of the Huguenots;" Scott's 
"Irvy;" Thos. Campbell's "Battle of Hohen- 
linden;" Tennyson's "Charge of the Light 
Brigade;" drew their inspiration from the 
great European wars, and gave to the world 
stirring ballads, immortalizing heroic deeds 
that time cannot dim. 

In France critics tell us that, during the 
Eighteenth Century, the soul seemed to have 
left the body of poetry, and so far as litera- 
ture was concerned, she was living on husks. 
The decadence of the century was due to two 
causes, the growth of philosophic material- 
ism and sham idealism; but as the Revolu- 
tion was felt all over Europe, so also, was the 
voice of Rousseau, the apostle of sentimental- 
ism; "sentimentalism aroused and kindled 
by the lightning from belligerent France." 
Another voice heard in the new order of 



12 FRAGMENTS 

things was that of Chateaubrand, but in the 
garden of poetry, no theme has resulted in 
more poetic sentiment than the life of Joan 
of Arc. 

The literature of Germany in the middle 
and at the close of the Eighteenth Century 
showed much unrest, due to the political di- 
vision of the Fatherland into petty states. 
Through the lyric poet, Klopstock, Germany, 
after having passed through terrible trials 
and bloody wars, became united. It v/as he 
who directed attention to the ancient hero, 
Arminius, who defeated the Roman legions 
in the Teutoberger forests, and by his poetic 
genius the populace was inspired, and thus, 
once again, Arminius became the German 
hero, and the symbol of united Germany. 
But it was the national humiliation, the bat- 
tle of Jena, which gave Prussia to Napoleon, 
and the second battle at Friedland, when the 
King was compelled to give up a good part of 
his territory, which aroused the national 
spirit, and the War of Liberation, in which 
the French were driven out, that called forth 
an outburst of patriotic songs. Lutzen's vol- 
unteer corps, to which Koener, the youthful 
German martyr, belonged, became especially 
terrible to the enemy by the wild national 
melodies around camp fires. These have 



FRAGMENTS 13 

been collected and are known as the "Lyre 
and Sword," and could not have been written 
in any other environment than that of war. 
In the "Songs of Fatherlandt," Arndt thanks 
God for making iron, that there may be wea- 
pons for free men. 

Regret for what was irretrievably lost and 
vain hopes for its restoration unsealed the 
mouths of the poets of the unhappy kingdom 
of Poland, we are told by those chroniclers of 
"Six Thousand Years of History." In the 
poem, "Konrad Wallenrod," Mickienwiez des- 
cribes with a thrill the battles of the Teu- 
tonic Knights with the heathen Lithuanians 
in the Fifteenth Century, but criticis declare 
it was aimed at the wars of the Poles and 
Russians. Julius Slorvacki in "Anhelli" 
expresses allegorically the sufferings of his 
native land. There is more of the funeral 
dirge, with its lamentations, than is to be 
found in most martial poems. It is, however, 
not alone to the writers of the Nineteenth 
Century, that we look to see the great in- 
fluences and inspiration that war has cast 
over the poetic spirit, but, as we turn the 
leaves of time we find throughout every age 
and clime its manifestation in the literature 
of its people ; memorials which have survived 
the assault of time, the tooth of decay, un- 



14 FRAGMENTS 

veiling the hidden past; the incarnation of 
all the heroic deeds that Time has crowned 
with immortality in poetic melody. In the 
"Song of Deborah," we find the martial spirit 
of the age expressed. It is the "Ode of Vic- 
tory," which paints with true colors the stir- 
ring daily events of the age of Judges. In 
a flash, time and space are annihilated. We 
raptly harken to the blind poet as he chants 
the wondrous story of Troy. We list with 
bated breath as he tells the tales of his fierce 
combat and heroic deeds in poetic meter, 
and as he sings his immortal song we see 
the warring hosts of Hellas and Troy leap 
into being. The battle din is in our ears; 
we see the madly rushing chariots, the 
deadly struggle for the gate, the entrance 
of the wooden horse, and through the po- 
tency of this Latin poet's genius we stand 
on Ilium's plain, infused with the same 
spirit as that which inspired the genius, 
and as the darkness falls, lo! we see sudden- 
ly the gleam of many camp fires; truly the 
precious life-blood of a master mind; the 
consecration and a poet's dream, brought 
into life through the influence of combat. 

Rowing up the stream of Time, we find 
the earliest literature of a people is almost 
always poetry; oral tradition preserves the 



FRAGMENTS 15 

tale, and the story teller is the hero of the 
fireside and camp fire. From the Tales 
Caedmus and Theseus the poets of Re- 
publican Era; Lucius, Catullus; poets of 
the Augustan, or Golden Age of Litera- 
ture, to those of our own time, we 
see and feel the influence of the martial 
spirit of their metrical tales, and an 
intensity of dramatic vision portrayed, and 
we conclude that in a belligerant age and en- 
vironment poetry blossoms most luxuriantly. 
Through its influence, the imagination, the 
true beauty of poetry is quickened and the 
influence of conflict is felt in its artistic de- 
velopment. As the hosts went forth from 
the dreary plains of Asia their poetic imagi- 
nation was rejuvenated and the literature of 
the world thereby enriched. 

We find by inquiry and analysis that the 
belligerent state of nations and people has 
been requisite for the production of some of 
the world's greatest epic poems. The "II- 
liad," as heretofore mentioned, the "Aeneid," 
owe their existence to the influence of war 
upon the mind of their authors, as do some 
of the world's greatest tragic poems. 

Perhaps no war of recent years has more 
prolifically inspired the poetic instinct than 
that of the Civil War, written during a f am- 



16 FRAGMENTS 

ily quarrel, when feeling was intense and the 
fight hot and fast. Many of them are gems 
that the Southern people will take care to 
preserve to posterity. If it be true that 
poetry is in its decadence, due to the lack of 
inspiration and motive, may we not expect 
from the war cries of Europe some spirit to 
soar aloft, and depict in metrical verse an 
epic poem, for there will be heroes of rank 
and file; heroes of the air, of charges, and 
counter charges. We shall see the plumm.et 
sunk into human emotions; see ihe courage 
of people uplifting them above the fear of 
death and the sacrifices only such as war can 
produce. Have we listened in vain for the 
Swan Song of Militarism? 



TRACES OF POWER OF MUSIC 
IN LITERATURE 

Music suggests more than it displays, 
stimulates the imagination, appropriates the 
phenomena of sound to the purpose of po- 
etry, and has a province wholly distinct from 
other arts. Great has been its power; from 
the very earliest epoch of the world down 
through countless ages the charms of melody 
have held sway. In the stillest nights there 
are sometimes musical sounds which are lit- 
erally audible, for which we cannot account. 
Superstition has dealt seriously with them, 
and framed from them mythology. The 
sighing of the wind has caused a feeling of 
solitude and loneliness to weigh upon travel- 
ers, which legend declares is "panic fear," 
and mythology recounts many musical con- 
tests between nymphs, naiads and gods. 
There is music in all nature, and these mys- 
terious voices have inspired the most beauti- 
ful gems of literature and works of art. Cel- 
tic poetry is full of them; Teutonic folklore 
is full of myths ; every glade in Germany has 
its spirit founded on mysterious voices. 



18 FRAGMENTS 

which are the corner stones for musical life 
of these people today, which were the natural 
efforts of the people to find expression of 
their feelings. In all literature there are 
discernible traces of music's power. Hamlin, 
the piper, magically cleared the town of rats. 
In "Alexander's Feast," by Dryden, old Tim- 
ortheus strikes his lyre and by music's power 
moves the hero from mood to mood. He 
sings of Jove and Alexander and by the pow- 
er of suggestion himself 

"Assumes the God 

Affects to nod, 

And seems to shake the spheres" 
Tennyson's "May Queen" hears Celes- 
tial music and understands its summons. 
Wagoner said: "Before I start to fashion a 
verse I am filled with the musical perfume of 
my creation." Shakespeare in many of his 
immortal dramas makes his characters attest 
the influence from which the power of music 
has woven its spell and declares even Pope, 
who was fit only for stratagem and spoils, 
dedicated an ode to St. Cecilia, and so on ad 
infinitum. 

Coming down the ages, music has played 
a prominent part in its influence on every 
nation. The latest spark finds vent in song, 
which in turn inspires to action, and no coun- 



FRAGMENTS 19 

try can afford to ignore the patriotic force 
capable of being brought into play by its 
power. The Egyptians studied it on scienti- 
fic principles; it was regarded as an import- 
ant science and diligently studied by the 
priests. According to Strabo the children 
were taught songs appointed by law and cer- 
tain kinds of music established by the gov- 
ernment. Plato, who was well acquainted 
with the usages of the Egyptians, says they 
considered music of the greatest consequence 
from its beneficial influence upon the youth, 
and declares music is a more potent instru- 
ment than any other, because rhythm and 
harmony find their way into the innermost 
soul, on which they mightily fasten, import- 
ing grace and making the soul of him who is 
rightly educated graceful. 

Athenais says both Greeks and barbari- 
ans were taught music by refugees from 
Egypt. They, too, were subject to its influ- 
ence and employed it at religious ceremonials 
and to accompany military evolutions. It has 
been considered an essential in the entertain- 
ment of the Jews as of the Greeks. The mod- 
em Jewish synagogue has preserved in its 
ceremonials the use of the shofar, which in 
early days of Israel was used for military 
purposes and played an important part in the 



20 FRAGMENTS 

imposing demonstrations made before the 
walls of Jericho, and in nineteen passages 
from the prophets it symbolizes war. From 
the Talmud we learn the use of the shofar 
as a note of alarm of war was transferred to 
other seasons of danger and distress. David 
delighted in music and employed a great 
number of Levites to sing and play at relig- 
ious festivals, Solomon employed a hundred 
and twenty priests to sound with trumpets 
at the dedication of the temple. Great has 
been the power of the psalms of David; 
they have resounded in the courts of the 
mighty; they have floated in the lofty and 
solemn spaces of the temple ; they have been 
sung with glory in the halls of Zion and with 
sorrow by the streams of Babylon. 

Differences in nations, ages and places have 
modified musical expressions, but have not 
been able to eliminate its power, but it was 
with the beginning of the Christian era its 
influence began to be most felt; then it was 
that it became the vehicle for increasing tht 
range of spiritual visions. Metrical verses, 
or sacred subjects, in the language of the 
people were composed by Luther and adapted 
to ancient church melodies. The placing of 
the choral song of the church within the lips 
of the people had a great religious and moral 



FRAGMENTS 21 

influence. Among the forms of musical art, 
the oratorio appeals most to the deepest and 
most cherished human interests, and in it 
musical enjoyment seems to minister to a 
higher end; it is the music of the people. It 
is only of recent times that the combination 
of vocal and instrumental music has been 
brought to such perfection, and perhaps it is 
in the rendering of "The Messiah," Handel's 
great and sublime musical composition, a 
wondrous paean in praise of the Redeemer, 
more than any other one musical influence 
that the thoughts of the spellbound listener 
are carried near, indeed, to the joyous psalm- 
ody of Heaven. So we must conclude that 
whether it was the pipings of Pan; the sweet 
discourse on the tortoise lyre of Apollo; Or- 
pheus, Hermes, Jubal, on his newly invented 
instrument, or David on his harp, music has 
largely contributed to the recreation of man- 
kind; stimulated the mind to greater en- 
deavor, and all down the ages, whether in 
paeans of triumphant jubilation for victory, 
in strophes of poetic rhapsody and exulta- 
tion, or in dirges or lamentations and griefs, 
it is the outlet for pent up emotions and the 
influence which puts us in tune with the In- 
finite. 



CRUCIS FIGURA— THE SYMBOL OF 
THE CROSS 

No symbol, since the advent of Christian- 
ity has played a more important part in 
history, art and legend, than the cross, for 
as an instrument of crucifixion it has been 
associated directly with Christ's death, and 
wherever seen bears reference to that funda- 
mental fact of Christian history. It was 
adopted as the symbol of Christians of the 
later part of the second century after the 
birth of Christ and by the third century 
they had begun to look upon the cross as a 
protection from evil spirits. It was adopted 
as the standard by many a leader and sup- 
posed to be endowed with mystic power by 
those who, with fanatical zeal, followed "via 
crusis." It inspired that great military ex- 
pedition undertaken by the Christian nations 
of Europe, the Crusade, so named from the 
cross worn as a badge by those undertaking 
the pilgrimage, who with one voice cried, 
**Dieu le Volt." It set in motion movements 
that stirred to the profoundest depths all 
Europe for more than two centuries when 



FRAGMENTS 23 

all Christian Europe rang with the cry, "He 
who will not take up the cross and follow Me 
is not worthy of Me/' changed the flood-tide 
of history, and carried Christianity to the 
utmost ends of the earth, and today, Easter, 
many are kneeling reverentially in churches, 
cathedrals and along the highways in Catho- 
lic lands before the cross, that sign of love 
eternal and divine, which has inspired 
through centuries lofty aims and high ideals 
in history, art, legend and poetry. With the 
conquest of Christianity the emblem became 
prized by others than ecclesiastics and 
Christians. It soon became emblazoned on 
shields of heraldry; added dignity to crowns 
and scepters ; became the ensign of fraternal 
organizations, ornamented banners, and to- 
day is the insignia of peace borne by the Red 

Cross society. 

* * * 

Christianity in all lands has dealt in her 
own fashion with the crucis figura. The 
cross is still surrounded by mysticism, as 
well as tradition, and by many endowed with 
miraculous attributes, as is seen at the vari- 
ous shrines of Mexico and the old world dur- 
ing Lent. 

In no land does the influence of the cross 
so completely fill the minds of Jesus's follow- 



24 FRAGMENTS 

ers, as in the land of Latin passion, Mexico. 
Here it rears itself in most unexpected 
places, often commemorating some memor- 
able incident on the spot, but more frequently 
as the symbol of the Passion, endeavoring 
to impress upon the minds of the wayfarers 
the tragedy of Golgotha. 

In England and Ireland many crosses, early 
erected, both eminently curious and interest- 
ing, still exist. Of the nine Eleanor crosses, 
designed to mark the places where the funer- 
al procession of the first Edward's consort 
rested, there are two that the ravages of 
time and the hand of the spoiler have not 
demolished. These beautiful and justly 
celebrated crosses are, of course, classed 
under the head of monumental crosses. 
These are in a distinct class erected with a 
view of sepulchral commemoration, which 
gradually became general after the Eleventh 
century in God's Acre throughout England. 
The history of these in themselves furnishes 
most interesting reading. The evolution 
from an elongated shaft to one of monu- 
mental beauty was the accomplishment of 
not one sculptor, but of many through the 
ages. 

« 41 ♦ 



FRAGMENTS 25 

In Christian architecture the sign of the 
cross has exercised a wide influence. The 
plan of the cathedrals of France, as well as 
Italy, truly the glories of those centuries, 
rich in their sculptured decorations, where 
the chant of the Te Deum has been heard 
for centuries, followed the cruciform type, 
which have given to modern art some of the 
noblest aspirations. The ground on which 
many of them now stand was excavated in 
a cruciform, and as the walls reared their 
magnificent proportions they carried with 
them the sacred sign. One of the noblest of 
these is St. John Lateran at Rome. The 
cathedral, the Holy Metropolitan church of 
Mexico, with its arched and vaulted roofs, 
massive altars and intricate cai^vings, is an- 
other example of architectural beauty, the 
interior of which is in the form of a Latin 
cross. 

In the year 481 crosses were introduced 
into churches. Crosses of endless varieties 
surmounted the loftiest parts of cathedrals 
and churches from the earliest times, and 
churches the world over today, of less pre- 
tentious means, have their summits crowned 
with the crucifix, emblematic of Christ's 
death. A colossal crucifix, which glittered 
in the age of the crusader, still gleams today 



26 FRAGMENTS 

above the marvelous structure of St. Marks 
at Venice. 

Of the legends of the Crucis figura one of 
the most noted is the "Invention of the 
Cross," which is commemorated by all good 
Catholics, May third. Another is that of the 
great shining cross seen in the heavens by 
Constantine bearing the inscription, "In hoc 
signo vinces," and one which has had a most 
potent influence over the subsequent annals 
of history. The story of the first is to the 
effect that the Empress Helena, when visit- 
ing the scenes hallowed by the Saviour's suf- 
ferings, was guided to the spot by an/ aged 
Jew. Excavation revealed three crosses, and 
the title placed by Pilate's command. A 
miracle, that of power of instantaneous heal- 
ing by touch of one of the crosses, was held 
to be conclusive proof of its identity. A 
church was built on the site of the "Inven- 
tion," and the greater part of the cross here 
buried, and a portion taken by her and 
sent to Constantine in Rome, where a church 
was built for the sacred relic. A festival was 
established to commemorate its discovery 
and pilgrimages were made to see it. The 
story of the flaming cross as seen in the 
firmament by Constantine at noonday and 
the vision when he heard the famous motto. 



FRAGMENTS 27 

"By this conquer," is familiar to every reader 

of history, an event which has demanded the 

attention of posterity, for by obedience to 

the command of heaven he won the victory 

at Milvian bridge, and became a convert to 

Christianity, a fact which has highly colored 

historical events. 

♦ * * 

After a two hours' journey by rail from 
Mexico's greatest city, Mexico City, the 
traveler arrives at the sacred mountain, 
Amecameca, where he finds the people 
stranger and simpler than the peasantry of 
Europe, and the sacred mountain as much to 
them as Calvary is to those of the Old World. 
Legend declares that in 1547 a large wooden 
cross was sent from Rome to the shrine of 
the Virgin of Gaudalupe. At Vera Cruz it 
landed and, as was the custom, was carried 
overland on the back of a burro. The lay 
brother in charge lost his way, and the burro, 
after winding its way through the woods, 
came to the cave in which had lived the pious 
Fra Martin, and refused to go further. The 
bishop declared that this was a sign from the 
Virgin that the cross was built to shelter it. 
Every year during Lent thousands of pil- 
grims climb on their knees to this sacred 
shrine, and the Amecameca is said to be very 



28 FRAGMENTS 

much like Loudres, and, with its pilgrimage 
of sorrow and suffering, appeals to the imagi- 
nation, only awaiting the pen of a Zola to 
immortalize its shrine. 



CULT OF THE SHORT STORY: 
ITS MASTERS 

The short story is more obscure in its 
origin than the Nile, and in its termination 
than the Niger. Tales, novels and ro- 
mances are the principal forms of fiction, and 
are closely related. William D. Howells says : 
"Fiction had no knowable beginning, and will 
have no knowable ending." The word story 
is commonly used as synonymous with tale. 
Properly speaking, however, the term is ap- 
plied to any form of narrative of past events, 
real or fictitious. It may be written in prose 
or verse. 

It is true of all national literature that it 
took its rise in verse instead of prose, and 
while the poet is an emperor in his own right, 
the story is a potentate in the realm of 
fancy. 

To judge the power and beauty of the art 
of the short story one must not view it at 
random, but rather mark its obscure origin 
and trace its growth from a mountain rivu- 
let to an imposing stream, pausing to notice 
the different branches of literature which 



30 FRAGMENTS 

have contributed toward making it an inde- 
pendent art and the environment of all ages 
with which it has struggled. Truly, we will, 
in examining its structure, be impressed with 
its qualities as a reflector, and by looking in- 
to this mirror see the gradual transition of 
thoughts and speech and be impressed with 
the knowledge that the cult of the short 
story, though a newly coined word in our 
English dictionary, is as old as the world it- 
self, taken from the Latin word cultus, mean- 
ing cultivation. 

"It is not difficult," says Hume, "to trace 
the process by which old songs were trans- 
mitted into the form which they now wear." 
Among the most fascinating studies of 
recent growth is that which reveals to us the 
customs and beliefs of the early Aryan peo- 
ples, while their ancestors were yet living to- 
gether as a single household, perhaps in 
Asia. Upon comparing the myths, legends, 
ballads and nursery tales of the different 
Aryan peoples, we discover the curious fact 
that under various disguises they are the 
same. "Jack the Giant Killer," with his 
"seven-league boots," is identical with the 
"Greek Hermes," with his "winged sandals," 
William Tell, with his unerring aim, is the 
Greek anchor god ; Apollo, with his twanging 



FRAGMENTS 31 

bow and many of our nursery tales are iden- 
tified with those which amused the Hindu 

children. 

♦ ♦ ♦ 

By means of the Rosetta stone we have 
found the key to Egyptian writings, opening 
the vast libraries of learning, among which 
was found the familiar tale of "Cinderella 
and the Glass Slipper," and a story said to 
have been written especially for the little 
son of Rameses II. "Chaldea stands forth," 
says Rawlinson, "as the great parent and in- 
ventress of Asiatic civilization." By its 
study we know the classical nations, whose 
inheritors we are, to have received from 
Oriental nations through these two sources, 
Egypt and Chaldea, by way of Phoenicia 
and Asia Minor, many so-called heroic and 
nature myths. Many Greek heroes and he- 
roines were prototypes of those of Chaldean 
stories. 

The link that united the culture of Egypt 
and Babylon with that of Lydda was the Hit- 
tite empire; even the speculations of Ionian 
sages were tinged by the philosophy of 
Egypt. The islands of Greece, strewn with 
seeming carelessness through the Aegean 
Sea, Meyers thinks, were stepping stones, 
which blended the life and literature of the 



32 FRAGMENTS 

opposite shores. Its scenery inspired many 
of the most striking passages of her poets. 
Here, in the shadowy past, every tribe, dis- 
trict, city and village preserved traditions of 
their heroes' exploits, commemorated in 
song and story. Many became the revered 
heroes of the whole Greek race. Among the 
tales of adventure, which are now classed as 
popular children's stories were ''The Seven 
Against Thebes," 'The Argonautic Expedi- 
tion," and "The Siege of Troy." The legend 
of Thebes branches into a hundred tales from 
which many of the greatest productions of 
the Greek tragic poets drew their inspiration. 
After the Roman conquest of Greece lit- 
erary activity shifted from Alexandria to 
Rome, and we now have from 147 B. C. to 
527 A. D. what is known as the Graeco 
Roman period. This hasty glance at the be- 
ginning of civilization only serves to give us 
some little idea of what recent civilization 
owes to the people of the Euphrates valley, 
and what the short story was in its incipi 
ency. We shall now proceed to trace the 
course of the culture of the short story 
through all ages and watch its rising tide as 
it receives fresh contribution until it rises 
into a wide and deep stream, recognized as 
an independent art. 



FRAGMENTS 33 

"The early history of Rome," says Ma- 
caulay, "is far more poetical than anything 
else in Latin literature/' In Livy's "Lays of 
Ancient Rome," the stories retain much of 
their genuine character: the poetry shines 
in spite of him, and we concur with Emerson, 
"Language is fossil poetry." As the lime- 
stone of the continent consists of infinite 
masses of shells of animalcules, so language 
is made up of images, and their secondary 
uses have long ceased to remind us of their 
poetic origin. The early Latin literature 
abounded in metrical tales, such as have 
been found in every country where there is 
much intelligence and little writing. All hu- 
man beings not entirely savage yearn for in- 
formation of the past times, and hence in 
Rome as in many other countries the kernel 
of the tale from which has been evolved the 
short story of modern times was immortal- 
ized through the pleasure that narration 
gave rather than any desire on the part of 
the inventor to leave his footprints on the 
sands of time. Such is the origin of ballads, 
which have sprung up and flourished in 
every nation at some point in their history. 
Tacitus tells us they were the only 
memorials of the past. The bare acts 
of the Gauls were commemorated by 



34 FRAGMENTS 

verses of the bards. Minstrelsy retained its 
influence over both Teutonic and Celtic races 
for many ages. In rhyme the vengeance 
exacted by the spouse Attila for the murder 
of Siegfried was celebrated. The exploits of 
Athelstane were commemorated by the 
Anglo-Saxons, and those of Canute by the 
Danes, in rude verse. In Scandinavia the 
scalds and bards transmuted orally the 
legends of the northern races. The Welsh 
harpers preserved through ages a faint and 
doubtful memory of King Arthur. These 
ghosts, like ghosts of Shakespeare's drama, 
can not be ignored; they explain much of 
the subsequent developments of the story; 
they are the keys which unlock the mints of 
literature, and prove that a man who can in- 
vent, or embellish, an interesting story and 
put it into form which others can easily re- 
tain, has from time immemorial been hailed 

as a conquering hero. 

* * * 

To minstrelsy the preservation of the bal- 
lad and short story is more indebted for its 
permanent place in literature than any other 
influence. Wandering from village to village, 
they not only collected the wild tales of ad- 
venture afloat, but embellished them. They 
undoubtedly had resource to the inexhaust- 



FRAGMENTS 35 

ible store of poetical images of Homer, who 

himself was a wandering minstrel. 
* * * 

Just as the Romans Romanized the people, 
so did the Saracens Saracenize the people 
subjugated to them. They were a nation of 
free-booters, a nomadic tribe, dwellers in 
tents. 

In their peregrinations they became in- 
interpreters of human nature, a profound re- 
quisite to the art of story-telling. They 
merged easily into the distinguished story- 
tellers and have left on the tablets of time 
an influence on the composition of the short- 
story unequalled. Cody says, ''No branch of 
literature as the short-story, had so demo- 
cratic origin, as fiction, many originating in 
taverns and bar rooms." In the tales of ori- 
ental splendor in Arabian Nights we see the 
picture of the common people and the wild 
fancy takes us out of ourselves, which is a 
perilous charm — one which was at a later 
date to be recognized as an essential compo- 
nent part by the father of American litera- 
ture, and to be skillfully used by him in his 
modern Arabian Nights story, "Rip Van 
Winkle." 



36 FRAGMENTS 

History says, between the tenth and 
fourteenth centuries the native tongues of 
Europe found voice, and formed Kteratures 
of their own, and begun to blossom in song 
and story. In Spain the epic-poem of the 
Cid formed the beginning of hterature; in 
South France the Troubadours fill the land 
with the melody of their love songs; in the 
north of France the Trouveres recite the stir- 
ring romances of Charlemagne; in Germany 
the harsh strains of the Nibelungen-lied are 
followed by the softer notes of the Minne- 
singers; in Italy, Dante sings his ''Divine 
Comedy"; in England Chaucer writes his 
''Canterbury Tales," all echoes of the Iliad 
and Odyssey. 

"Knowledge advances; manners change; 
great foreign models of composition are 
studied and imitated." Thus is ushered in 
the Italian Renaissance, that passionate out- 
going towards the ancient world. Here the 
Italian scholars drank at the fountain head 
of the world's literature. The fictitious nar- 
rative is the natural outgrowth of the epic 
poem. The transition was slow and devel- 
oped after the faith in heroic and mythologi- 
cal legends was shaken. From the ampli- 
fications of old traditions, to the invention 
of new ones known to be false, was but a 



FRAGMENTS 37 

slight step. These stories were no longer 

chanted, but were narrated. 

* * * 

As we draw nearer and nearer to the con- 
fines of the authentic modern tale, having 
noticed the influence of wars, travel, environ- 
ment; studied the legends, chronicles, and 
noticed the compositions of prehistoric times 
and their part in the subconscious devel- 
opment of the story, there remains to ex- 
amine the other influences of a later day 
which have blended in the constructive art 
of short story writing. We are first to con- 
sider what the short story owes to the essay 
and the fable; humorous and pathetic senti- 
ment; realism and romanticism, as literary 
methods, and later on to consider plot con- 
struction, strength in contrast and the re- 
quisite of a well balanced story. 

* * * 

Boccaccio's ^'Decameron," historians of 
literature agree, is the foundation of the 
modern short story. Boccaccio, the second 
of the humorists, received his inspiration, ac- 
cording to legend, at the tomb of Virgil in 
Naples. Despairing of attaining the highest 
eminence in poetry, he entered another de- 
partment of literature, rendered famous by 
the Trouveres, whom he imitated in romantic 



38 FRAGMENTS 

fiction. He with rapidity produced the cele- 
brated "Decameron," consisting of a hundred 
tales, a work which has been more plagiar- 
ized than any other, and a work on which 
critics agree is based the cult of the modern 
short story. For the first time woman holds 
the interest of the reader. They contain 
every variety of incident, and character, 
pathetic, humorous, virtuous and gross. It 
is said that few of them were original. Many 
of them were collected from the common 
tales of the Italians and were too gross to 
repeat; many were taken from the Trou- 
veres and some are of remote Greek origin, 
all remodeled. It is said he got up his stories 
with all the art he could master and went a 
long way to hear a good one. Among the 
number, 'Tatient Griselda,," critics pro- 
nounce the most artistic. As it is to be the 
base of the modern short story, let us pause 
to consider its structure. It is a simple tale 
of narrative character, with no color or at- 
mosphere; a story of chaste simplicity. It 
flows quietly and unruffled, a style peculiar 
to Boccaccio. 

Closely following Boccaccio we hail *The 
Morning Star" of English literature, Geof- 
frey Chaucer. While traveling in Italy he 
made the acquaintance of Petrarch and Boc- 



FRAGMENTS 39 

caccio. Stimulated by the renown which the 

"Decameron" had bestowed on Boccaccio he 

conceived a plan of producing a similar work 

in his own language, the work on which his 

fame rests, "Canterbury Tales." 
* * * 

Shaw declared that ''the great writers of 
the Elizabethan age were the natural prod- 
ucts of the newly awakened England of that 
day." Bacon was of that age and was among 
the first to turn his attention to the new- 
form of writing, the essay, which from a 
small beginning was to become a most im- 
portant branch of literature and which was 
later to become a brief dissertation written 
in light and pleasing style, known as prose 
style, having as its exponents Addison, 
Steele, Swift, Goldsmith, Johnson and Lamb, 
who were all more or less short story writ- 
ers. Addison's story of ''Sir Roger De Cov- 
erly," published in the Spectator; Swift's 
"Gulliver's Travels," and Daniel Defoe's 
"Robinson Crusoe" may be especially men- 
tioned. We mention this class of writings 
for, blended with the metrical ballad, it 
created a new style of expression, of which 
Washington Irving is the happiest delineator. 
Until his era the story was without descrip- 
tion, ejaculation or metaphor. Facts were 



40 FRAGMENTS 

stated without embellishment. The power of 
fiction in expanding not only absorbed the 
best in the essay, but much that belonged to 
poetry. From now on we will notice that as 
fiction grows, poetry diminishes. It is the 
language with which the plot is clothed; the 
words flow in melodious rhythm, the light 
pleasing phantasies at every turn, and we 
note the touch of the essayist. 

The fable, like the tale, contains a short 
but real narrative, but seeks to inculcate 
some moral maxim, social duty or political 
truth. "The fable," says Muller, "originated 
in Greece." It, like the metrical ballad- was 
handed down for generations orally, and 
later brought into circulation by the print- 
ing press. 

Hawthorne took up the fable and is said 

to have made it, more than any other story 

writer, the keynote to all he wrote. 
* * * 

As the modern love story originated in 
the tales of the Decameron, the modern 
romance grew out of the Oriental tales of the 
"Arabian Nights," a model closely followed 
by Irving. We have said that modern fiction 
was a child of the union of the tales of De- 
cameron and of those of the "Arabian 
Nights," yet subsequent events have proven 



FRAGMENTS 41 

beyond dispute that as an independent art 
the short story made httle progress until 
Poe and Hawthorne worked with it. In Lon- 
don it was not until Kipling appeared in the 
arena that the publishing of short stories be- 
came profitable. It is said that half a cen- 
tury past, writers of short stories had no 
conscious art, but today it is different. 
Many universities have estabhshed courses 
in short story writing, and as much care is 
bestowed upon the teaching of this branch as 
any other. 

'The first essential," says Cody, ''is to 
have a striking idea, situation or trait of 
character, and only one. The length of the 
story must be as long as the idea, no longer." 
A matter of greatest importance to the short 
story writer is first to collect material; in 
other words, make a business of getting 
material. It has been suggested that the 
best place to look for this material is in the 
files of the daily papers. Curious things 
happening in life are being recorded daily. 
After having secured your material, the next 
step is to develop a central idea, and to be 
able to do so one must have wonderful crea- 
tive imagination. The divine, the immortal 
element of a story is the moral that it 
teaches, as in the fable, yet one must feel it 



42 FRAGMENTS 

rather than read it in so many words ; it must 
shine through the windows of our composi- 
tion. Many writers have likened it to the 
soul as it is the element that gives lasting 
fame. 

Another essential taught by tne school of 
the short story is the setting, that the detail 
and event must be developed in the mind be- 
fore an artistic setting can be given. These 
and many other ideas are developed by 
schools, which have attempted to prove that 
the short story, like any branch of art, can 

be successfully taught. 

* * * 

Romance developed by George Sand, 
Hugo and Dumas, was first, telling in simple 
form the poetical romance of chivalry; later, 
there were tales of adventure, of rogues and 
vagabonds. The transmutation of the tale 
became completed when Gustav Thaubat 
startled France with his realistic creation, 
"Madame Bovary." Each has left a potent 
influence upon the writings of today; each 
cry "il girdo." Beyond dispute the realist 
adopted and perfected the short story. Bal- 
zac is the accepted type of the realist. Taine 
has said, that "his works are the greatest 
storehouse of documents of human nature." 
His "Comedie Humain" is in reality a series 



FRAGMENTS _ 43 

of life. "The Mysterious Mansion" is the 
best known of these short stories. 

Dickens has revealed to us the matchless 
power in pathetic and humorous sentiment. 
In his ''Christmas Carol" he gives a striking 
portrayal of the humorous and pathetic in 
human nature, showing a strength in con- 
trast rarely found in other writers' works. 
His stories have been more laughed and wept 
over than anything else we find in literature. 

Next let us glance at the progress in the 
special art of construction. Here, we dis- 
cover Poe to be beyond doubt the greatest 
constructive and inventive genius, and since 
he constructed his own plot, and showed the 
world how it could be done in his "Philosophy 
of Composition," the world has accepted him 
as the father of the modern short story. 
Particularly is this the case with the detec- 
tive story, which arose in France from a hint 
taken from some of Poe's work. We may say 
without fear of contradiction that in pre-Poe 
and Hawthorne days authors employed the 
tale as a by-product of the mind; since then 
it has served to express some of the great 
conceptions of genius. Verily, it was Irving, 
Hawthorne and Poe who began the cult of 
the story of today. It was adapted to the 
needs of the times and tastes of the people. 



44 FRAGMENTS 

No wonder the cult reached perfection in 
America, for the Americans are by nature 
story tellers. The pioneer lives of our fore- 
fathers furnished material of a fanciful and 
poetic nature, ranging from somber to hu- 
morous. These national characteristics were 
recognized by these men of genius and they 
have wrought from tales and legends gath- 
ered from a people predisposed to beliefs in 
elfs and goblins. 

In France the cult of the short story was 
more employed and reached a higner point 
of excellence with Merimee, Maupassant, the 
student of Flaubert and Gautier, whose real- 
ism, local color, thrilling tragedy and artistic 
finish has placed him among the world's 

greatest masters. 

* * * 

The editor of Harper's magazine, discuss- 
ing the relative merits of different nationali- 
ties, thinks the French come first and the 
Americans second. The London Times says : 
"It will be hard to find four writers of short 
stories of the Victorian era who would equal 
Hawthorne, Poe, Bret Harte and Henry 
James." Bliss Perry, former eaitor of the 
Atlantic Monthly, thinks Rudyard Kipling 
the most gifted story writer. Many critics 
think Thackeray a short story writer gone 



FRAGMENTS 45 

wrong, and Mr. Henley considers "The Prin- 
cess' Tragedy," a chapter in^'Barry Lyndon," 
one of the very best short stories. Another 
country, which may justly lay claim to hav- 
ing excelled in the artistic completion of the 
short story, is Russia, the home of Turgeniei 
and Tolstoi. Sherwin Cody selects for the 
practical purpose of illustrating the evolution 
of the art of short story writing tne follow- 
ing stories: "Patient Griselda," "Rip Van 
Winkle," "A Passion in the Desert," "The 
Gold Bug," "A Christmas Carol," "A Child's 
Dream of a Star," "A Princess' Tragedy," 
"The Great Stone Face," "The String," "The 
Necklace," "The Man Who Would Be King," 
and "On the Stairs." There are few who will 
agree in every instance in the choice, as each 
has his fireside friend, independent of those 
whom greater critics have selected. Memory 
is the key that in the hours of revelry opens 
the doors of reminiscence, and as the twilight 
shadows gather and the evening taper is 
lighted, in the solemn hush of eventide, ghost 
after ghost glides softly to my study door, 
knocking for admission. One after another 
has been admitted, and my hospitality is 
taxed to its utmost capacity. There is no 
longer room for my unbidden guests, yet 
each is as welcome as the flowers in May. 



46 FRAGMENTS 

Each, as I look and recognize it, through the 
realm of fiction has carried my thoughts back 
to the storied past, or lifted the veil of the 
mystic future. It is a cosmopolitan gather- 
ing. There is a company of authors from 
France, Germany, Russia and America. Zola, 
Merimee, Daudet, Stevenson, Maupassant, 
Sardou, Balzac, Dickens, Bret Harte, Coppee, 
Hawthorne, Dumas, Barrie, Besant, all mas- 
ters of adventure and romance. Then there 
is another group who claim recognition, and 
whom you cannot close the door upon as 
masters of the modern cult of the tale and 
writers of ghost stories — Gautier, Kipling, 
Wilkie Collins, Hugh Conway, Walter Scott, 
Lord Lytton and Couch — writers of weird 
fantasy; tales that evenly and consistently 
uphold the best traditions of the art of short 
story writing. Who does not love to recall 
the fairy tales read in childhood, and who 
would fail to accord these masters a cordial 
reception? There is Swift with his hero, 
"Gulliver," Defoe with "Robinson Crusoe,'* 
Grimes and his "Household Faires," and 
Hans Christian Anderson, the prince of story 
writers. There are Hawthorne, Poe, Irving, 
Cooper, Bret Harte, Stockton, Mark Twain 
and W. D. Howells, near and dear friends. 
Each has gathered unto himself a wealth of 



FRAGMENTS 47 

affection and cannot be banished from one's 
panoramic company of illustrious guests. 



THE SONG OF HATE 

Stitch, stitch, stitch, 'tis not the Song oi 
the Shirt, but the Song of Hate, that grows 
in the hearts of all womankind as her nimble 
fingers fly. Hate for the commercial greed 
and military power, which, if overcome, must 
be paid for with tears from women's eyes. 
Tears for the sacrifice of the lives of their 
sons. 

Knit, knit, knit until eyes grow dim 
with unshed tears. While needles fly, there 
escapes many a weary sigh, and with every 
stitch a gem is knitted within the garment 
she weaves for the boys in far-away France, 
or on battle-ships on foreign waters. Many 
sets of helmets, sweaters and scarfs must be 
made before the battle is begun, and many 
hearts must break before victory is won. 

Lives must be sacrificed on the War-God's 
altar, and women must pay the price that 
Democracy may be proclaimed and the 
brotherhood of man attained. 

Woman's part is but a mite, yet she sits 
and knits far in the night ! It is the part that 
all women must pay, in sacrifices, great and 



FRAGMENTS 49 

small, day by day. The army must be fed, 
and above all, bullets moulded; and it is her 
daily task to wear an inscrutable mask. To 
sit and knit, and knit ; or with nimblo fingers 
the bandage roll to staunch the flow from 
wounded France. 

But, the battle must be won at any cost, 
it matters not how many lives are lost; or 
hearts of women break, the Kaiser must be 
outdone, for the Cause of Democracy is at 
stake. As through her fingers the bandage 
slips, the Song of Hate falls from her cold 
lips. 

She hears throughout the world the 
tocsin call: To arms! To arms! Defend the 
sacred rights of humanity. Beware of the 
Barbarians! They may yet plant their feet 
on your native soil, and the horrors of Bel- 
gium repeat. To arms ! To arms ! Every na- 
tive son, yours the valiant course to run, that 
Democracy's Eagle may spread her wings and 
enfold the children of the whole world be- 
neath a banner that stands for the freedom 
of all mankind. Freedom from the military 
school — freedom from the cursed power of 
one-man rule. 

The Republic of France is torn and bleed- 
ing within, yet, with undaunted spirit^ she 
strives to win. For every foot of progress 



50 FRAGMENTS 

made, on East and West the lives of men 
must be paid. We can not, dare not, ask a 
Premature Peace. We must demand Abso- 
lute Release. We must urge with all the 
vigor of our soul, unity of purpose and sac- 
rifice, that on History's scroll may be written 
in letters of red, how the American lad fell, 
with other heroes, dead, that the Cause of 
Right might win. 



CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS 

There is not a civilized country under the 
sun that does not celebrate Christmas Day 
with festivities; many and greatly varied 
are the peculiar customs, imitating as they 
do, "the wicked old pagans/' If we delve 
into history we find that many of the pretti- 
est of our observances ante-date the birth 
of Christ. In fact, even the day, December 
twenty-fifth, has been questioned as the 
date of the Nativity, the argument being 
largely based on the fact that this was the 
rainy season in Judea, and that it was 
hardly likely that flocks and shepherds 
would be in the fields of Bethlehem. 

Christians, however, from the beginning 
laid more stress on keeping it in memory 
of Jesus Christ in the spirit and not in the 
exact date. In the fourth century Pope Jul- 
ius had St. Cyril make investigations, and 
while it was impossible to determine upon 
the exact date, December twenty-fifth was 
agreed upon as being as near as possible to 
ascertain. In the fifth century historians 
tell us that the day began to be largely ob- 



52 FRAGMENTS 

served, due probably from a desire to sup- 
plant the heathen festival saturnalia and the 
influence of tradition. It was, however, not 
until the sixth century that the custom 
of observing this day became universal 
but from this date we have celebrated with 
festivities of various kinds until at the pres- 
ent time the fear has been expressed that 
we are about to lose sight of the reason for 
such observance in our eagerness for ex- 
pensive gifts, one to the other. 
♦ * * 

No locality in the world's history has 
exerted such an influence over mankind as 
that of Bethlehem; here is built the holiest 
shrine of the world, the Church of the Nativ- 
ity, belonging to Latins, Greeks ^nd Armen- 
ians, and which at Christmastide is the 
Mecca of hordes of fanatics, who style them- 
selves Christians, and others of pious mien. 
To quote a world-renowned traveler: 

"To this spot, which is the cradle of 
Christendom, flock pilgrims from lands far 
distant, to participate in ,the impressive fes- 
tival. On Christmas eve, thousands, headed 
by the dignitaries of the Roman Catholic 
church, Greek and Oriental churches, leave 
Jerusalem for the scene of the wonderful 
nativity. Turkish soldiers guard the en- 



FRAGMENTS 53 

trance to the Church of the Nativity, and 
as soon as the doors are ordered open the 
surging crowds enter to find it illuminated 
with wax candles and olive oil burning in 
lamps of gold and silver. The service is 
choristal until twelve strokes from the clock 
sounds the hour of Nativity, then follows 
perfect silence. The atmosphere is laden 
with incense, and as the seventh candle on 
the altar is lighted, a crimson curtain is 
drawn aside, revealing the image of the in- 
fant Christ. The bells peal forth joyfully 
announcing the birth of the Saviour. Priests 
and choristers join in singing 'Gloria in Ex- 
celsis,' closing wth a procession to the man- 
ger, in a grotto." 

In old England it is the custom on Christ- 
mas eve, after the devotional service is 
over, to throw on the hearth the yule log, 
and the revels begin. The houses and 
churches are bedecked with evergreens, 
special stress being placed on the use of mis- 
tletoe. The yule log is undoubtedly a relic of 
paganism, and was cut from the oak. It was 
thought in early times that fire could only 
be secured by rubbing two pieces of wood 
together. It was therefore lighted from one 
year to the other from the same fire in 



54 FRAGMENTS 

honor of the Sun-God ; later it was to typify 
the hght eternal. 

In Scandinavia, said to rank first in obser- 
vation of Christmas, there is a quaint cus- 
tom of placing all the shoes of the family in 
a row, signifying the wish that the house 
may remain harmonious. 

In Russia, at the setting of the sun on 
Christmas eve, the old and young of the 
poorer classes visit the homes of the 
wealthy, singing Christmas carols, for alms. 
The revel o£ the night consists in masquer- 
ading when animals are impersonated, be- 
cause Christ was born in a manger. 

There are many picturesque ways in 
which the season is celebrated in different 
countries, but none are of more ancient or- 
igin than those of Servia, whose ancient 
rites of sun worship have been turned into 
the worship of the new "Son of righteous- 
ness." Holland with her hunt for hidden 
gifts; the Danish "Juli-nissen ;" the noisy 
torch-lighted Befan Fair in Rome; and 
many others hold charm of Christmas mys- 
tery, and give us an idea of how the world, 
throughout the ages, has observed the fes- 
tival. To Germany belongs originally the 
Christmas tree custom. History tells us 



FRAGMENTS 55 

that Mary, Queen of Scots, was the first 
English child to have a Christmas tree. 

But what to the small child is undoubt- 
edly of more interest, is Kris Kringle; what 
little heart does not go "pit-a-pat" at the 
mention of Santa Claus, and faces become il- 
luminated with the thought of his sleigh 
laden with Christmas gifts for the good 
little girls and boys. And what older child 
does not tingle with anticipative pleasure 
when reading of "The Night Before Christ- 
mas." 

Though many of the observances of these 
customs grew from pagan origin today they 
are so infused with the spirit of good-will 
and peace on earth that the day with its 
merry festival typifying to the world a Sav- 
iour's love is eagerly looked forward to by 
old and young alike. 



THE SHOFAR 

"Praise Him with the blowing of the sho- 
far, praise Him with the psaltry and the 
harp." 

According to authority, this custom has 
been handed down from early ages, and it is 
not only the solitary ancient musical instru- 
ment actually preserved in the Mosaic ritual, 
but it is the oldest wind instrument known 
to be retained in use in the world. 

The shofar is made from a ram's horn, 
straightened and flattened by heat, and its 
sacredness is explained from the fact that it 
was originally made from the horns of the 
ram caught by its horns in the thicket, 
which was used as an offering in place of 
Isaac, and investigation proves that there is 
little doubt that it has been used in the Mo- 
saic service from the time it was established 
until the present time; history, however, re- 
lates that tribes dwelling near the sea used 
shells for the same purpose. 

Instruments of percussion are said to be the 
oldest forms of musical instruments known, 
while the wind instruments are classed as 



FRAGMENTS 57 

next, hence the horn of the Hebrew must be 
one of great antiquity; some authorities 
justifiably claim that it was used in prehis- 
toric times. In all countries the mythologi- 
cal gods have been regarded as the inventors 
of music and musical instruments, and the 
science of mythology, in attempting to ex- 
plain to us the phenomena of sound, has 
woven many beautiful stories. The Greeks 
attribute to Pan, the shepherd god, the dis- 
covery of the pipe; Heroditus tells us that 
Athone invented the flute, and the Egyp- 
tians that Mercury invented the lyre, but 
the antiquarian claims that bone and pipe 
were in existence before the reed, and points 
in affirmation to the time when no reeds 
grew and rocks were everywhere; and it is 
now generally conceded that this instrument 
was no doubt used in prehistoric times. The 
evolution of cornets and horns from animals* 
horns and conch-shells has been easily 
traced, and that various other nations, an- 
cient and modern, have used animals' horns 
for wind instruments is shown by the col- 
lection being preserved by the National Mu- 
seum of the United States. 

Tradition has handed down from genera- 
tion to generation the manner of sounding 
the shof ar, and it is said that when the New 



58 FRAGMENTS 

Year happened on the Sabbath the shofar 
was sounded in the sanctuary, but not out 
of it, and that children should not be pre- 
vented from sounding it, but to the contrary 
they should be taught to sound it. 

The German and Polish Jews give many 
reasons in their liturgy why the shofar 
should be sounded, and one of the great 
Jewish scholars of the middle ages says God 
commanded the sounding of the shofar: 
'Tirst, because this day is the beginning of 
creation on which God created the world and 
begun to reign over it; and, as it is custom- 
ary at the coronation of kings to sound the 
trumpets and cornets to proclaim the com- 
mencement of their reign, we, in a like man- 
ner, publicly proclaim, by the sound of the 
cornet, that the Creator is our king. Second, 
as the New Year is the first of the ten pen- 
itential days we sound the cornet as a pro- 
clamation to admonish all to return and re- 
pent, which, if they do not, they can not 
plead ignorance, as having been fully in- 
formed. Third, to remind us of the law 
given at Mount Sinai. Fourth, to remind us 
of the prophets who are compared to watch- 
men blowing the trumpets as mentioned in 
Ezekiel 33:4. Fifth, to remind us of the de- 
struction of the Holy Temple. Sixth, to re- 



FRAGMENTS 59 

mind us of the binding of Isaac, who willing- 
ly submitted to the will of heaven. Seventh, 
that when we hear the sounding of the cor- 
net we may by the dread thereof be induced 
to humble ourselves before the Supreme Be- 
ing, for it is the nature of these wind instru- 
ments to produce dread. Eighth, to remind 
us of the great and awful day of judgment 
on which the trumpet is to be sounded. 
Ninth, to remind us to pray for the time 
when outcasts of Israel are to be gathered 
together. Tenth, to remind us of the res- 
urrection of the dead and the firm belief 
thereof." 

Although the shofar was so largely used 
in religious services it was none the less em- 
ployed in the time of war, playing an impor- 
tant part in the demonstration before the 
walls of Jericho, there are said to be not less 
than nineteen passages of Scripture from 
the prophets where the shofar symbolizes 
war. It was the signal for going to battle, 
the announcement of victory and for the re- 
call of troops, and Rawlinson tells us the 
troops, marched to its notes. It was also 
used in seasons of danger and distress as 
well as in funeral ceremonies. 



60 FRAGMENTS 

A TOAST 



Here's to the pencil pushers: 
Here's to the members of the press, 
May their talents never grow less. 
May the years prove ushers 
Of only the good and the best, 
And bring to them a well earned rest. 

Here's to the advocates of peace; 

Here's to the students of political scilence, 

May the two form a strong alliance. 

May they bring us surcease. 

From all care and sorrow, 

With a rainbow of hope for the morrow. 

Here's to the cause of womankind; 
Here's to the children of the oppressed 
May all their lives be blest. 
May they protection find 
From the greed of the Nation 
In better laws and arbitration. 

Here's to Art and Letters; 

Here's to the toiler and the weaver. 

May they use the proper lever. 

May they foose the fetters. 

Unravel webs of delusion 

With a just and happy conclusion. 

Then, brim the goblet, quaff a toast, 

To the moulders of public opinion! 

To those who hold dominion. 

To the editor — our boast! 

Fill the bowl, away with gloom. 

For hopes shall brighten days to come. 



FRAGMENTS 61 

THE MESSAGE 

There's a message in the rumbling stream; 

There's a message in the last dying rays; 
There's a message in all God's ways, 

To a longing and trusting heart, it seems. 

There's a glorious message to you and me; 

It tells of naught else above. 
But of God and His infinite love, 

If we only have the wisdom to see. 

It is written in the firmament on high; 

It is written in the babbling brook. 
If we will only pause a moment and look, 

We can plainly read it as we draw nigh. 

There's a message that is kind and true: 

A silent message in all contact. 
If we only have the wisdom to extract. 

The thought that is meant for me and you. 

As the last evening shadows darken; 

As the sun sinks low behind the clouds, 
All Nature, in stentorian voice, loud, 

Compels the soul of me and you to harken. 

God's message speaks through all space; 

With a loving thought compelling. 
Us to hear what silence is telling 

As on through this life we madly race. 

So let us cultivate the psychic ear; 

Let the message write itself upon our heart. 
Before the good spirit shall depart. 

Let us show wisdom, listen and draw near. 

It teaches a religion of love and beauty; 

For this is the purpose and plan. 
To find the soul of every superman. 

Compelling him to do his duty. 

To better the world in factory and mart; 

Because every effort great and small. 
Is demanded of us, each and all, 

Therefore, read the message in every part. 



62 FRAGMENTS 

FROM OUT THE GLOOM 

A footstep fell upon the stair, 

Listening I knew that you were there. 

Out of the gloom your voice reached me, 
At last I knew that you were free. 

Freed from anchors and fettered chains; 

Freed from turmoil and daily strains. 
Out into the mysterious, 

The spirit had fled, made joyous. 

Out of the shadows on the stair, 

I knew you stood with welcome there, 

Bidding me come to paradise. 
Out of silence your voice called thrice. 

I long to come to your open arms. 

But, there intercedes earthly forms — 
Some day my soul too shall be free, 
And then I shall hasten to thee. 



FRAGMENTS 63 

AN EASTER LILY 

Easter Lily, with beauty rare, 

Shedding its fragrance everywhere — 

A silent messenger, from above; 
Sent by a friend, with love. 

Plucked - fresh with the morning's dew, 
Sent with the wish of pleasure to strew — 

With delicate fragrance fraught, 
Bringing a loving thought. 

Thus, is balm poured on broken hearts. 
Bleeding and torn with poisoned darts. 

God's best blessing to all mankind 
Is the true friends we find. 

The days may be dark and dreary 
The soul tired, heavy-laden, weary. 

But the golden chord of friendship 
Anchors a drifting ship. 

"Gather wreaths from garden bowers. 
Tell the wish of thy heart in flowers". 

For, as on my table they nod. 
They fix the thought on God. 



64 FRAGMENTS 

GOD SENT YOU TO ME 

I was tired of the world's strife; 

Tired and weary of my sad life 
Wishing my soul might be free, 

When God sent you to me. 

You came to me with outstretched hand; 

Came from out the mystery land 
Came with blessings to strew, — 

Need of sympathy you knew. 

The friendship of your bright smile, 

Lighted many a weary mile. 
Your power to understand 

Made of Earth a fair land. 

The poisoned darts no longer sting; 

The bluebirds are all on the wing- 
All Nature's fair today, 

For God sent you my way. 

EVENING SHADOWS 

Vapors hang low, 

Purple shadows glow. 

Nature's paint brush. 

In the evening's hush. 

Has been used by the Master's hand 

To give to every mortal man 

A symphony in magic hues, 

With its golds, emeralds, blues. 

To stir to grander themes. 

The longing heart of dreams. 

(Written on crossing the Continental Divide one 
June evening.) 



I' Mllm. "'*"'' OF 



CONGRESS 



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